Sean Strickland slams “trash” BKFC after Conor McGregor investment

Former UFC champion Sean Strickland has dubbed the owners of bare-knuckle fighting promotion BKFC, including former UFC double champion Conor McGregor, as “f***ing crooks”.

Strickland, who is preparing to face middleweight rival Paulo Costa at UFC 302, has slammed the promotion when asked if he would consider swapping the UFC for BKFC, suggesting he would “never be one of those a**holes that goes and fights bare-knuckle.”

“Bare knuckle, you want to talk about f***ing crooks,” Strickland said during media day ahead of UFC 302.

“They’re paying their guys s***. Like [BKFC] is one of those organisations where you hear these numbers, it’s all bulls***.

“If you look at the lowest rung of the guys, they’re breaking their hands, breaking their orbitals, and they’re making a couple thousand bucks. Bare knuckle’s f***ing trash.”

BKFC has grown in popularity in recent years and they were bolstered by McGregor’s McGregor Sports and Entertainment company becoming a part-owner in the promotion alongside its majority shareholder, Triller, back in April.

The Irishman is yet to respond to the comments but neither fighter are known for keeping their opinions to themselves and Strickland has now left himself open to a war of words with “Notorious”.

But while McGregor, who is in camp ahead of his UFC comeback fight against Michael Chandler at UFC 303, has stayed silent so far, BKFC fighter, and former UFC star, Mike Perry has bitten back at Strickland’s comments.

Perry released a video backing Costa to beat Strickland at UFC 302 this weekend, and has placed a $50,000 bet on the Brazilian to win.

“Paulo Costa said he’s coming to put a beating onto Sean Strickland this weekend,” Perry said.

“I’m rocking with that Brazilian power. ‘Borrachinha’ in the building! I think he has more tools in MMA to get the job done. “Let’s go, Paulo, show him what I’m talking about.”